Tipperary movie-maker's documentary to be screened at two international film festivals

A Tipperary film maker has his most recent documentary entered in two major film festivals in the United States and Canada

He is Eoin O’Donoghue from Cahir, a former graduate at the Institute of Technology Tralee. 

He studied a Bachelor of Arts in TV, Radio and New Media Broadcasting and as part of his final year he had to create an artefact and choose to produce a documentary. 

Along with his classmate Ali Byrne, he came across a couple called Jill and Giles (through an online newspaper article) who live and work on a barge for the last twenty years with a decade of that time spent on the River Shannon. 

Jill and Giles' barge on the Shannon

Both Eoin and Alison were intrigued by the couple's lifestyle and how they had a different type of freedom to others because of the unique living and working environment. 

The piece was shot over three days and edited over three months between February and March, 2019. 

Jill takes time off the barge to try canoeing

The documentary, Jill and Giles, focuses on Jill and Giles’ initial decision to live on the barge, their work and hobbies. 

It explores the themes of unconventionality, freedom and belonging.

Alison and Eoin are amateur film makers and this is their first documentary.

Giles at work on the barge

It has had huge success in both national and international film festivals.

It  has been screened at five national film festivals including IndieCork 2019 and the renowned Richard Harris International Film Festival in Limerick. 

Internationally, it has been screened three times in the UK, once in Canada and is due to be shown at the end of the month in Canada again as part of the Toronto Irish Film Festival and in the United States as part of the Chicago Irish Film Festival. 

Both Alison and Eoin will be heading out to Toronto and Chicago as they fall on the same weekend (February 29 - March 1) to meet other film makers in the industry. 

Clip of the film here 

https://www.facebook.com/jillandgiles/videos/599437734167170/